Snow Globe DIY

             

If you’re a twenty-something like me you probably don’t have many Christmas decorations of your own (yet!). If you read A New Christmas Tradition you’ll know that here at WTD we’re re-vamping the holidays and are trying to make our own traditions this year. As always, we try to do things in the thriftiest way possible but that never means skimping on style, class or quality! Today's holiday DIY is a festive Anthropologie inspired snow globe!

My snow globes are hanging out on my kitchen table this year!

I was inspired to do this DIY after I found some delightful snow globes on Pinterest. They are inspired by these Anthropologie originals which are no longer available on their website. I made my snow globes at the end of the season last year so this is the first Christmas I’m actually getting to enjoy them and I have to say I just love them. They’re cute, quirky, super easy and amazingly cheap to make! The image from the original blog is a pretty self-explanatory and I basically did my own thing when making them. The blog Make Life Lovely has another awesome DIY tutorial for the same snow globes. She compares the original price of $40 Anthropologie version to the $2 it cost her to make them herself! Don't forget they're also eco-friendly if you use recycled jars and ribbon. Plus, I think the homemade ones look better anyway!

I love the charming bows!

What you’ll need:

• 3 mason jars (I chose two smaller jars and one large one you can decide what works for you)
• 3 miniature Christmas trees (I found mine at Dollarama and they are there again this year!)
• Fake Snow (I also bought at Dollarama) 
• 1 glue gun
• Ribbon (I used two pieces of red and one red and white checkered print. Use whatever you have)
• Something to raise your tree up I think I put a piece of foam under mine

  

The Instagram I posted after making them in 2012!

I didn’t take pictures of step-by-step directions as I made mine last year but they are so easy you won’t need them. Luckily, this is a popular craft so I’m going to source some photos online to help you along.

 

Step One

Take the lid off the mason jar and pull the ring away from the round disc.

Step Two

Use your hot glue gun to glue your base to the middle of the disc. Giving your tree a little height allows you to add more snow. Otherwise the snow covers the tree. Let dry.

Step Three

Glue the tree to the base. Let dry.

Step Four

Put snow into the jar. The amount will vary depending on the size of your tree and what looks best to you.

Step Five

Put it all together! Try not to spill the snow :)

Step Six

Tie ribbon around the ring.

Voila! How easy was that? Now all you have to do is find a cute spot in your home to  showcase these awesome snow globes.

If you want to get even thriftier try some variations. I like the Anthropologie salt shakers and the antique blue mason jars I found on google images!

Variations:

Salt Shaker Globes

Antique Jars

A Simple Kind of Life

You can add water like A Simple Kind of Life did. Personally, I prefer how they look without water but I realize they're not true snow globes without. If you do use water make sure to use distilled water!

A Simple Kind of Life also tried one globe with gold glitter. I like it! You could also mix glitter in with your snow for a more glamourous look! The only warning she had was that a layer of glitter does float to the top.

Kayla Danielle

Blogger Kayla Danielle used a big jar she had sitting around at home to make a super sized snow globe! If you like this look Apothecary jars can be found at many home decor stores for a reasonable price. Try Winners or Homesense.

Gorgeous display of globes!

Display your globes with a few tree trimmings for extra visual appeal!

A new Christmas Tradition: Memories that last a Lifetime

My newest Christmas tradition may not be all that revolutionary or shocking, but it's surprising how special it feels, even though it may seem obvious to others.  It's ornaments.
Or more precisely, the thoughtful, slow, long-term collection of meaningful ornaments over the span of years. Maybe you've thought of it before or maybe it's already part of your holiday routine, but in this household, it's still kind of new and I'm determined to make it stick.
There are so many different ways you can make ornament collecting part of your holiday.  It is heartfelt and meaningful, and doesn't buy too much in to consumerism.  Every ornament has a story, and few cost more than $10.  Almost all of them were handmade.  The trick is patience, time, and a lot of thought.  Each one should be personal, should evoke a special memory.  What else could make a Christmas tree beautiful?

Leave a Legacy

It all started when my cousin was born (I wasn't even conceived yet).  My grandmother started collecting one ornament per grandchild for every year of their life.  None of us knew.  It was a well-kept secret.  She died shortly before Christmas 2006, and that year, when my family gathered, it was a subdued affair.  Fast forward a year later, and though our grief was still there and her absence still felt, we had one last surprise from her waiting under the tree.
Each of her seven grandchildren had a box brimming with ornaments-- and I don't mean plastic baubles you can get at Canadian Tire.  Each one was hand-crafted by local artists (she frequented craft shows and church bazaars) and each and every one was unique to us.  While my girlish cousin J got ornaments of shoes and jewels and cupcakes, my ornaments were of skiing mice and puppies tangled in ribbon. My hockey-loving brother got snowflakes and skates. The younger cousins had fewer: one for every year since their birth until my grandmother's death meant slightly fewer ornaments for them.  We each had between 13-18; nothing to sneeze at when you move out and have your first tree!  They are more precious to me than gold or silver.  They are her legacy and my way to remember her.

Our tree, not an empty branch to spare

Record your Relationship

A few years later, my boyfriend presented me with an ornament as part of my Christmas gift.  It is two snowman holding a sign that says "Our First Christmas: 2009".  Since then, we go back and forth every year for whose turn it is to the buy the ornament.  The only rule is that it has to say the year somewhere on it.  The second year, I bought the ornament.  Two frogs dressed up like Santa, personalized with our names and the year. In 2011, the ornament was ordered from a woodworker on eBay.  It records our puppy's first Christmas.  And so on and so forth...  Someday maybe we'll have our own tree, filled with my grandmother's ornaments, and one documenting every year we've been together.  I like the idea of a slow tree-decorating evening, sipping on eggnog, listening to Christmas tunes, and reminiscing.  "Oh, that was the year we got Monkey!  Remember how small he was?"  "Oh this one is from the year you went out West!"...

Custom woodburning, from eBay

Make New Memories

My parents' tree also has a lot of history behind it.  It's certainly not one of those colour-coordinated stylish trees you see popping up in magazines and stores.  No.  Our tree is chaos.  It's laden with years of memories.  It's like a drunk elf threw up on it.

Of course, some of the ornaments are just cutesy or gifts from friends and neighbours.  But many of them have stories too.  There's a koala bear from their Australia trip.  A sparkly fish from our week-long trip to Cape Cod.  You get the picture.  When they travel somewhere, instead of coming back with a useless figurine or knick-knack that will take up shelf space and gather dust, they bring home a Christmas ornament, and reflect on their many blessings and wonderful voyages as they decorate their tree.  And isn't it nice to know, as you hang that ornament of a sunburnt, swimming-trunk sporting Santa on a green bow, that you were once baking under the sun, digging your toes in the sand, listening only to the rush of the ocean?  That there is someplace, somewhere out there, that isn't buried in snow?  It is for me.

It's hard to think about Christmas in August, but I'm glad I did.

To Gift Card or Not to Gift Card; that is my dilemma

So I’m just going to come out and say it, plain and simple: I hate gift cards. Ok, well that’s not entirely true. Perhaps I should specify: I hate gift cards as Christmas gifts, both giving and receiving. Not to say that I am so obstinate as to refuse to accept the free purchase this little piece of plastic represents, per se. But as far as my favourite things about the holidays go, gift cards are definitely not at the top of my list.

Why, you might ask? Do I have something against easy shopping? Do I despise allowing people to make their own choices (granted, a choice that is limited to a particular store or mall but a personal choice nonetheless)? Do I love standing in crowded store lines for that perfect gift item, only to find that it sold out three weeks ago? No, no I do not love these things. However, call me a traditionalist, but I like to think that a Christmas gift is less about just getting a gift, and more about the person you’re getting it for.

Personally, while I understand that sometimes getting a gift card to a popular store rids one of much of the dreaded shopping stress that inevitably accompanies holiday spirit, I am turned off by the genericness of it all. Having been a repeated culprit in gift card giving, I can speak to the fact that oftentimes I don’t even look around the store to see if there happens to be any actual item that seems appropriate or gift-worthy; instead, I run straight to the front cash, grab a little plastic rectangle and say “please put this much on this card.” And then I get the hell out of that store, quick in, quick out, just the way I like it. It also prevents me from having to shop ahead of time. Just two weeks ago I ran into a store to get my sister a gift card for her birthday. As it happens, I was supposed to meet her for dinner half hour later to give her said gift and as it happens she was coming out of that same store at the very moment I was walking into it. She just looked at me knowingly and said “you’re getting me a gift card, aren’t you?” Well didn’t I just feel like a shit.

I’m sure we all have those people on our shopping lists who, when asked what they would like for Christmas, always recommend gift cards often because they’re “easiest” or the person is too busy and stressed themselves to think of a specific item or two he/she has actually been wanting. But last time I checked, the spirit of gift giving is supposed to come from a heartfelt desire to give someone a token of your appreciation for them. It’s not supposed to be first and foremost “easy”. “Easy” implies obligation, and it’s that sense of “OMG I have to get this person a gift” which creates all the holiday stress in the first place: ironically, during what is supposed to be one of the more joyous times of the year. As a gift giver, I want to show my recipient that I know them, I listen to them and I care, and sometimes a gift card falls short of demonstrating that kind of affection.

Now I’m not saying that when I receive gift certificates I feel unloved or unappreciated. At the end of the day, taking time, any time, to get me a gift is a show of kindness. But it tickles me a deeper shade of pink when I receive a gift that’s a little more personal. Like two years ago, when my brother in law had me for Kris Kringle. I am often one of those annoying people who doesn’t necessarily want anything in particular for Christmas, making shopping for me pretty much impossible. But when I opened my gift, I was filled with such joy and awe. My BIL had gotten me a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey (my favourite hockey team); it was an item that I wouldn’t have even thought to ask for! The gift showed that he was paying attention to my interests, my hobbies…to me.  And it was his knowing what the perfect gift for me would be, that touched me more than the gift itself. 

I’m not an idealist, thinking that there’s a perfect gift out there for everyone on our lists, especially if you encounter Vague Veronicas like myself. But there are ways to make Christmas gifts more intimate, more personal, even if that means including a small token alongside a gift certificate to the local mall. Here are a few suggestions:

Ask around: If you’re buying for a sibling, consult your other siblings or that sibling’s friends for suggestions. For a significant other, ask his or her friends or family members for advice on things he/she may have picked out or mentioned on a recent shopping trip. Don’t be afraid to get help!

Listen: If you’re in conversation around the holidays with someone you need to buy for, listen closely for whether that person mentions anything they might be looking for or needing in the near future. Sometimes that person may even be purposely trying to provide you with hints or gift ideas, so it’s important to pay attention, especially when topics related to the holidays come up.

Take notice: If you happen to be visiting with someone on your gift giving list, take mental notes and snapshots of particular things they might have around the home, or particular styles or trends they might like wearing. Use that as a template for gift possibilities, and let your deduction skills guide you the rest of the way.

Add a little somethin’ somethin’: My brother is Home Depot obsessed, and I’m not about to go out and buy him a saw. So to accompany the yearly Home Depot gift card, I decided to purchase a nice, inexpensive frame and put a picture of us in it, since I’m pretty sure neither of us actually owns one (thanks for the picture, mom). I taped the gift card to the back of the frame. It’s a small token but more personal than “here is your plastic rectangle; go get a new tool.” Other times, I’ll write a poem and wrap the gift card in that, or consult a handy DIY list (like the one conveniently included by WTD) to find an easy, yet adorable idea to add on to a less personal item.

Arguably, the best gift you can give anyone is your time, a moment or two out of your busy life to slow down and appreciate one another: whether that be buying concert tickets for a night out, arranging a spa day, or even writing an IOU for a dinner date in the future, on you. The gift of spending time with the ones you love is the most inexpensive, yet the most invaluable, and one that you will never have to wait in line for.

For all other options, I’d recommend getting a gift receipt. Just in case.

Gotta book it,

JEM

Jem's Reindeer Roundup

So by now you've realized that if you follow WTD, you're going to hear a lot about animals. We're kooky for critters, passionate about our pets, and adore and admire the animal kingdom. Had enough alliteration?
Anyway, I don't go in much for angels and Santas at Christmastime. Elves and snowflakes get very little of my attention. Creches with little baby Jesus inspire me to reconfigure them in rather rude postures. (Think of Mary wearing a tiny "I'm with stupid" sign pointed at a certain Joseph and you'll get what I mean) ((Sorry in advance for offending you)).
But my lifelong, non-cynical, still-feeling-the-Christmas-wonderment OBSESSION is with reindeer.
I was the kid who made sure next to Santa's cookies and milk were carrots and water for his fleet. Rudolph, that sexist, corny old claymation movie is, for me, the apex of cinematography. And yes, at 24 years old, I still tune in to ReindeerCam.com...just to watch those fuzzy, antlered cuties hang out.
So, as I window-shop my way through this Christmas without a penny in my pocket or a home of my own to decorate, let me present the cutest, weirdest, downright tackiest reindeer I've encountered so far this season.

Classic white-on-white PRANCER

This beauty was in a store window at the mall. Not sure if he's actually for sale, but he's definitely for the savvy shopper who wants to get in the spirit without sacrificing style. Note his majestic pose: arched neck, upturned face, one poised leg... and those curvaceous, mythic antlers! He's even coated in a sheer shine of white glitter. 

"There are two kinds of people on this earth: everyone else and you." Definitely BLITZEN.

Who else could be this bold?  This sparkly gold Canadian tire moose says: "Fuck reindeer! I can plow down a car, a beer is named after me... for sure I can pull a sleigh."  I guess you would display this big fella in your yard if regular reindeer just "aren't enough" for you.

Elegant DANCER from Canadian Tire.

Light up your yard with a whole fleet of Dancers: in soft gold lighting, and not in some stupid grazing pose, this sturdy girl looks like she's on the move and ready to deliver toys to girls and boys.

Cutest Couple: COMET and CUPID

OMG AREN'T THEY JUST ADORABLE?!  Available from Costco in giant yard size and smaller inside size, I think they're made out of heavy duty coated ceramic.  And they come with "leather" jingle bell harness/wreaths. Look at Comet, just wishin' on a star. And Cupid, just lovingly looking up at him, lounging in the warmth of their romance.  Ah-mazing.

Nice try, driftwood DONNER. "A" for effort. "A" is also for "Antlers?????"

This strange Canadian Tire reindeer is trying hard to do that "nature, reclaimed wood, up-cycling, home-made goodness" thing, but he falls short. For one, where are his antlers? Two, why does he look like a child just glued together some jenga blocks and dowels? Still, I would take little reject Donner home in a heartbeat... he could be a talking point!

Daring DASHER Decimates Driftwood Donner.

So, right next to poor, weird Driftwood Donner is another moose. This one at least looks like he's made out of birch and bark, has antlers, and his hysterical moose beard (which he grew for Movember). I'm liking the natural looking wreath complete with pinecones and holly berries. You could even say he looks "dashing" in it.

Head-turning VIXEN

White as snow and covered in sparkles, this lil' lady is strutting her stuff, flicking her tail and casting a sultry glance over her shoulder. She's also available posing with her adorable, flawless nose pointed perfectly in the air-- they way all pretty reindeer girls do.

 Wanna-be Rudolph sucking up to Santa

Well, there's no red nose in site at my local mall's Santa village, but the reindeer frolicking amongst the candy canes, glittery gifts and plasticy-plush Santa throne are whimsical (in a very 2013 kind of way). I liked this one because he is sporting both a onesie and a toque/sleeping cap, which is so very Night Before Christmas. However, he is also making kind of a "blah" face.  Like, he really isn't in the mood to be serving the Big Man in Red his cookies and milk.  And I kind of don't want to be thinking about reindeer slavery right now.

TO BE CONTINUED AS I FIND MORE REINDEER...

It happened!  I found more reindeer!  Here they are:

Seen at Taffy lane in Ottawa!

Amazing decorations at Taffy lane.

One of my christmas presents!

Didn't Max just make the cutest, albeit reluctant "reindeer"?